[tor-bugs] #31211 [Community/Tor Support]: Inaccurate and confusing Support doc can mislead macOS users into incorrectly using Tor Browser with two simultaneous instances of the Tor-Browser Data folder.

Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki blackhole at torproject.org
Mon Jul 22 01:53:33 UTC 2019


#31211: Inaccurate and confusing Support doc can mislead macOS users into
incorrectly using Tor Browser with two simultaneous instances of the Tor-
Browser Data folder.
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
 Reporter:  monmire                  |          Owner:  phoul
     Type:  defect                   |         Status:  new
 Priority:  Medium                   |      Component:  Community/Tor
                                     |  Support
  Version:                           |       Severity:  Normal
 Keywords:  Tor Support Portal       |  Actual Points:
  uninstall Tor Browser - issue      |
Parent ID:                           |         Points:
 Reviewer:                           |        Sponsor:
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
 Tor Browser 8.5.4 on macOS 10.14.5 Mojave.

 `How do I uninstall Tor Browser?`
 https://support.torproject.org/tbb/tbb-28/

 The following inaccurate and confusing language pertaining to macOS
 appears in the documentation:

 `Locate your Tor Browser folder or application. The default location on
 Windows is the Desktop; on macOS it is the Applications folder (on macOS,
 you have to move it into the Applications folder when you complete the
 installation process).`

 The documentation inaccurately states, `on macOS it is in the Applications
 folder (on macOS, you have to move it into the Application folder when you
 complete the installation process).`

 A user will be unable to find the Tor-Browser Data folder in
 `/Applications` because the Tor-Browser Data folder does not install  in
 `/Applications`.

 By default, the Tor-Browser Data folder installs in `~/Library/Application
 Support`.

 And, by default, TorBrowser.app installs in `~/Applications`.
 ----
 Duplicate the issue:

 Per the inaccurate and confusing language pertaining to macOS in the
 documentation , a user moves the Tor-Browser Data folder to
 `/Applications`.

 When the user quits and restarts Tor Browser, no Tor-Browser Data folder
 is present in its default location `~/Library/Application Support`; thus,
 Tor Browser.app installs a new instance of the Tor-Browser Data folder in
 `~/Library/Application Support`.

 The computer now has two separate and simultaneous instances of the Tor-
 Browser Data folder.

 One Tor-Browser Data folder is in `/Applications`, and the other Tor-
 Browser Data folder is in `~/Library/Application Support`.
 ----
 To avoid the possibility of confusing or misleading users into mistaken
 attempts to use Tor Browser with two separate and simultaneous instances
 of the Tor-Browser Data folder, we should change the inaccurate and
 misleading language pertaining to macOS in the referenced documentation to
 reflect something like the following:

 `On macOS, by default, your Tor-Browser Data folder installs in
 ~/Library/Application Support. On macOS, by default, your TorBrowser.app
 installs  in /Applications. To uninstall Tor Browser, delete your Tor-
 Browser Data folder and delete your TorBrowser.app.`

--
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/31211>
Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki <https://trac.torproject.org/>
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